Johannes Brahms dedicated his cello sonata to Josef Gänsbacher, who was flattered and delighted. When Brahms visited him, he insisted on playing through the piece with the composer, giving rise to a possibly often repeated and utterly characteristic story.
In their progress through the piece, Brahms began playing very loudly, causing Gänsbacher to complain that he could not hear himself. “Lucky you,” Brahms replied to the overwhelmed amateur, and proceeded to play even louder.
This Sonata, Op. 38 in E minor, is somewhat unusual and what ended up getting published in 1866 was not what Brahms and Gänsbacher would have played. Brahms’ original work was in three movements: a large sonata-form Allegro, an Adagio, and an Allegretto quasi Menuetto. In 1865 he added a fugal finale, but before publication he removed the Adagio, leaving the work in three movements, without a true slow movement.
Here is cellist Brannon Cho to perform this sonata for you:
